Donald MacMillan in rigging of 'Bowdoin,' 1947

Description

Explorer Donald MacMillan, captain of the Bowdoin, goes aloft for a better look at the Labrador coast near Cape Mugford.

MacMillan was as active as any of his younger crew members, climbing aloft to navigate the schooner through unknown or icy passages. The foreground shows some of the vessel's gear: dories, water and fuel barrels, and assorted scientific equipment.

Designed and built specifically for MacMillan's Arctic expeditions, the two-masted schooner Bowdoin (launched in 1921) was a shallow-draft vessel with an 88-foot long hull. She was able to navigate near shore and in ice-clogged waters.